Enhancing the nutritional value of bread by the addition of insect powder: a novel class of food protein additives

The shortage of protein resources has become an urgent issue, and insects have been identified as a promising source of animal protein. The present study aimed to investigate the potential of insect powder as a novel class of food protein additives in bread. In this study, three species of insect powder were compared to traditional protein sources to conduct a preliminary analysis of their nutritional value. These insect powders were then added to flour and baked to produce a high-protein bread. The results indicated that the insects used in this experiment were rich in protein and amino acids. Additionally, insect proteins extracted via the alkali extraction method exhibited a lower molecular weight than common proteins. The addition of insect powder did not affect the rheological properties of the bread but increased the protein content of the product while giving the bread a darker colour and a unique insect flavour.